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Front Range Rally is May 20! Now in its fifth year, Front Range Rally is a beer festival and food truck rally that celebrates Colorado’s rich culture of craft brewing and myriad of mobile food vendors in our region. One hundred percent of the net proceeds from the festival will be given to the Food Bank to support our vision of a hunger-free Larimer county.

This year’s Front Range Rally will feature nearly 55 craft beverage makers that will serve over 150 unique beers, wines, ciders and spirits alongside ten local food truck favorites that will deliver an array of delicious fare. See the current list here. Live, local music will grace the stage to round out a perfect day of fun in the Colorado sun.

The Rally will take place Loveland Food Share, 2600 N. Lincoln, Loveland, CO from 2:30 – 7 PM on May 20th, 2017. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at www.FrontRangeRally.org. Ticket includes admission to festival grounds, food trucks, live music, and UNLIMITED beer sampling. (Food is sold separately.) V.I.P. tickets and designated driver tickets are also available.

Amy Pezzani, the CEO of the Food Bank for Larimer County has been interested in social justice issues since she was a child. In college, Amy majored in sociology to follow her passion. However, it wasn’t long before Amy needed help.

“I left home at 18 and paid for everything on my own. I had no financial support system and it was really hard. There were times that I worked 40 hours a week and went to school full-time, but I still couldn’t make ends meet.” She learned firsthand that, “You can do everything you’re supposed to do, but sometimes you can’t keep up anyways. It’s stressful.” For a time, Amy relied on food stamps to make sure she had enough to eat.

After college, Amy signed up for the Vista Volunteers program and volunteered at a food bank in Missouri for two years. Following that assignment, she was offered a full-time position. Shortly thereafter, the food bank’s director resigned and even though she was only 25, Amy applied for the position. She was shocked and thrilled to get the job; Amy had an incredible passion and desire to help people and felt like it was a great opportunity.

She served as the director of the Missouri food bank for four years before making the tough decision to come West, to Colorado. After living here for two years, the chief executive officer position at the Food Bank for Larimer County became available. She was awarded the job and has held this position since July 2004. As the CEO, Amy is responsible for the day to day operations of the organization, including human resources, financial management, fundraising, advocacy, public relations, and strategic planning.

Her favorite part of her job is the community partnerships that she’s able to help build. She says, “I love finding new ways to provide food for our community. I also like that things change all the time and that no two years, or even days, look alike. I feel inspired and motivated by learning and trying new things.”

Despite the great things that come along with her job, Amy wishes people understood the Food Bank for Larimer County does not just serve the homeless population, which is just a small percentage of guests. She says, “Nearly every street in every county in our country, there is someone who has used a food bank.” Amy went on to say, “By and large, they are just in the same boat as I was in; many have degrees… They’re are doing it all right, but still not able to keep up with healthcare, housing, and childcare costs.”

As our community continues to grapple with housing and childcare affordability issues, Amy sees the need for Food Bank services only increasing. “I feel like we are going to become more of a coping strategy for more people in our community.” She aims to make food more accessible through partnerships, pantries, and new ideas that will reduce hunger and alleviate the stress of feeding families.

When she looks to the future, Amy is excited. She notes, “We have such a huge ability to impact public health. We are impacting the health of people because we know food insecurity leads to other chronic health conditions and when we can provide good, nutritious food, we can make an impact. I am excited to continue down that path.”

When she’s not working at the Food Bank, Amy prefers to be outside when she can. She mountain bikes, hikes, and runs as much as possible. She also enjoys home improvement projects and reading.

Lupe Gonzalez, a 71-year-old senior and Fort Collins resident, moved here in 1985 with her three children from Wyoming. She was a single mother working three jobs to make ends meet, including translating for Spanish-speaking patients at the hospital. Lupe worked hard and was proud to give her children a better childhood than she had.

Lupe worked her way up and earned medical terminology degree from LCCC and perfected her spoken and written Spanish skills to continue translating. She taught at an education center and helped others learn medical terminology and translation skills. During those years, Lupe was proud to be self-sufficient. “I was doing good with a good car and everything.”

In 2001, she suffered a stroke, ending her earning years. It took Lupe months to recover, eventually regaining the ability to speak. However, the stroke wiped out areas of her memory, including medical terminology and her translating abilities. It took Lupe three years to qualify for disability, but only three months to run through her savings.

In 2004, a friend of Lupe’s suggested she attend the VOA senior meal program and she’s been a regular ever since. Lupe described it by saying, “I got a lot of friends here. I get to go places because they take us here and there. The food, the meals are good, too.”

Lupe makes ends meet with meals at the senior lunch program and with the help of the Food Bank for Larimer County. Twice a week she helps prepare and serve senior meals at the Northside Aztlan Center in Fort Collins, Colorado. In trade for volunteering, Lupe’s meals are free and there are often leftovers to bring home. She enjoys the social aspect of the meal time, including the competitive bingo games.

Lupe also frequents the Food Bank. “The Food Bank really helps me,” Lupe says. She relies on the Food Bank as much as twice a week as long as she’s not snowed in and has transportation.

With the help of the Food Bank for Larimer County and the senior meal program, Lupe worries less about putting food on the table. She does not have to make tough choices between food and paying her other expenses including housing, medicine, and transportation.

Join the Food Bank for Larimer County for the 18th Annual Corporate Food Fight this April. One of our signature fundraising events, the Corporate Food Fight challenges local businesses to raise food and funds for the Food Bank for Larimer County to help us feed families, children, and seniors in need in our community.

The challenge spans the entire month, but each company designs their own campaign timeline and style. Some participants do a basic and simple food drive or have a food-based event such as a bake sale or chili cook-off – others get downright creative and do things like executive tricycle races or have genuine food fights! The more engaging and fun, the better! Businesses can also elect to set up an online portal to capture donations and encourage customers, families, and friends of employees to campaign on behalf of the business as well.

Most people contribute to nonprofit groups during their lifetime, but only a small number choose to continue this support through a charitable gift in their will or estate plan. You can be one of those special people. You can help the Food Bank for Larimer County continue to make a life-saving difference in our community with planned giving.

There is no better way to honor the people and moments that have made such an impact on your life than by giving to others. Planned charitable giving is not just for the wealthy; it is something we can all do to ensure a lasting legacy of hope.

There are many ways you can give back to your community and help others less fortunate. Ways to plan for charitable giving include:

Estate Plan – Through your estate plan, you can make provisions for those close to you, as well as help individuals who face hunger in our community. Both you and your family can benefit from your generosity to the Food Bank for Larimer County through proven, tax-wise strategies approved by the Internal Revenue Service. We suggest you consult your attorney or family estate planner for help in choosing the options best for you and your family.

Unrestricted Bequest – When you make an unrestricted bequest to the Food Bank for Larimer County, your gift will be used to provide food and hope where the need is greatest.

Restricted Bequest – Some people prefer their gift address specific emergency needs of families, to support child feeding programs, to help seniors or to be used as an endowment. We are happy to work with you and your attorney or estate planner to draft language that ensures your wishes.

Gifts That Pay Income – Some of the best ways to support a nonprofit and receive income are available through life-income gifts. There are three types of Charitable Remainder Trusts that allow donors to place resources into a tax-favored trust that pays income to the living individuals and donates the remainder to charity.

Planned giving makes a huge impact on the Food Bank for Larimer County. By providing a charitable gift in your estate plan, will, or trust, you ensure that essential programs and indispensable work for families and seniors will continue for years to come.

It’s never too early to start planning; please consider a legacy gift to help feed the hungry when you are writing or updating your will or trust. A few minutes of thoughtful time now will provide the framework for a lasting legacy of nourishing and enriching lives.

If you would like more information regarding planned giving or have any questions, please contact us today – we’d be happy to help!

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Empty Bowls event. As a major fundraiser for the Food Bank, Empty Bowls raises awareness by reminding us that thousands of our neighbors face empty bowls on their tables throughout the year. For the price of one ticket to Empty Bowls, guests will help the Food Bank provide over $250 worth of food to serve hope to families in need in our community. To mark this momentous anniversary, this year’s Empty Bowls will feature a VIP Artist Reception, live auction clay throwing demonstrations, and a special program from Food Bank CEO, Amy Pezzani. Local notable artists will be performing in clay throwing demonstrations and donating original artwork to the silent auction. Artists include:

Making monthly donations to the Food Bank for Larimer County is a great way to support families, seniors, and children in need in our community. As a Stability Partner of the Food Bank, your donations over time will add up to have a big impact on those living with food insecurity. Signing up for monthly donations makes it is easier to fit your donations into your budget. Plus, our system is automated, meaning you just have to set it up once!

Every gift, no matter how large or small makes a difference to those who face hunger. Thanks to a nationwide network of food donors and our efficient operations, for every $1 you donate, we can provide $5 worth of food to a family in need. As a Stability Partner, your monthly donation sustains our mission and fosters our ability to provide a consistent source of nutrition for our clients. By making a regular contribution, at any level, you will help us stabilize the lives of the people we serve. When families worry less about having enough to eat, they can focus their energies and resources on their futures.

In thanks and recognition for your gift, Stability Partners receive:

Invitation to annual reception

Personalized year-end impact statement

When you donate to the Food Bank for Larimer County, $0.96 of every dollar donated is used for hunger relief initiatives and more than 36,000 individuals will be served this year alone. Learn more about the impact monthly donations will have on those in need in our community by clicking here.

All donations to the Food Bank for Larimer County are tax-deductible and easy to make. Donate safely through our online donation system here or donate over the phone with a credit card by calling us at 970.493.4477. Donations can also be made by mailing your gift to Food Bank for Larimer County, 1301 Blue Spruce Dr., Fort Collins, CO 80524.

http://www.foodbanklarimer.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/food-bank-larimer-logo-fa.gif00Kate Sheltonhttp://www.foodbanklarimer.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/food-bank-larimer-logo-fa.gifKate Shelton2017-01-09 16:54:182017-01-09 16:54:18Monthly Donations Have a Big Impact Over Time

In the simplest terms, Josh Greene is responsible for getting food for the Food Bank for Larimer County to provide to families, children, and seniors in need in our community, but his role is anything but simple.

Greene grew up in Fort Collins, attending Poudre High School, and when he decided to settle down and start a family he headed back home; he now has three children and loves living here. Josh says he got into this career by accident.

He worked in audio production, drove a truck, and then began managing a local food distribution company’s logistics and operations. When he saw a job posting for a similar role at the Food Bank for Larimer County he knew it was a perfect match of his skills and passion. At the Food Bank, Josh is the Food Resource Manager, in charge of all sourcing and transportation of food. He spends his day working to determine what the Food Bank needs, finding available food from retail partners, local farmers, and other organizations, and managing the logistics of getting it in house.

Josh navigates partnerships with Feeding America, local retailers, and farmers, to source donated food that the Food Bank, in turn, distributes to people in need. While the food is donated, the Food Bank does have to pay transportation fees and other associated costs. However, Josh works hard to keep costs low, in fact, on average, the Food Bank pays less than $0.15 per pound for the food it distributes. Last year, the Food Bank distributed more than 9 million pounds of food through its hunger-relief programs. More than 3 million pounds of that food came from retail donors within Larimer County. An additional 25% of food was sourced from local Colorado agricultural producers and the remainder was acquired from national partnerships based on availability. Last year, the Food Bank served more than 36,000 individuals.

When asked about his favorite part of his job, Josh said, “I like food system development. I thoroughly enjoy being a part of building a strong local food economy, working to reclaim waste and make food accessible to everyone.”

He wishes people better understood the scale at which the Food Bank operates. “There is a misconception that we are operating out of a garage and only distributing at church pantries, but it’s more than that. If people understood the scale, they would understand the need.”

Josh relayed a story of one Food Share client saying to him, “Thank you for feeding me today.” That sentiment has stuck with him to this day and he comes to work every day intending to do just that.

Watch this short video of Josh detailing the scale at which the Food Bank for Larimer County operates.

When Sandy Beardsley, mother of three children, found herself divorced, living in Indiana, away from her family, with no financial support, she had to think fast about how she would be able to feed herself and her kids. Working off the advice of a friend who said, “you’re a good cook, why don’t you try catering,” that’s exactly what she did.

Sandy got a cooler and began making simple bologna sandwiches with side dishes to sell to mill workers at the steel mills outside Chicago. During this time, Sandy frequented the Food Bank in Indiana to help makes ends meet for her family.

With the little money she made from her lunch route and the cost savings the Food Bank provided, Sandy eventually scraped together enough money to move back to Colorado to be near her family. She lived with her mother for the first year and began utilizing the Food Bank for Larimer County’s services. She worked hard and saved where she could in order to pull her family out of the need for the Food Bank.

Cowgirl Catering, working all over Northern Colorado. The company has two catering vans and is in the process of building a commercial kitchen. Sandy has cooked for many well-known bands at the Greeley Stampede and many big events in our community including CSU Equine Events, weddings, and parties. Cowgirl Catering is a well-known catering business in this region of Colorado.

If fact, Cowgirl Catering recently catered a volunteer recognition event for the Food Bank for Larimer County. She made a Seven Layer Bean Dip, Turkey Roll Ups, and many other great dishes for the event and guests were very impressed with the food offerings.

When asked about the Food Bank, Sandy commented, “The Food Bank helped keep the cost of raising my family down, so I could eek my way along. It took me a long time to save enough to move and get back on my feet.”

“I couldn’t have done it without the Food Bank. I fed my family everyday for 5 years, 3 years in Indiana and 2 more in Colorado.” Without the Food Bank, “I couldn’t have even made any money. Using their services allowed me to build my business because I didn’t have to worry about food as much.”

Sandy went on to say, she, in-part, credits the success of Cowgirl Catering to the Food Bank. “I have a successful business because it gave me that leg up.”

By reducing her family’s food insecurity, Sandy was able to focus her talents and energy towards building a successful catering company with her daughter; a small-business that now supports them well.

Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) is a local, Larimer County nonprofit working towards affordable housing for the residents of Northern Colorado. Their goal is to help individuals move from homelessness to homeownership by providing sustainable housing, supportive services, and education to the Larimer County community. Their various programs do many things to help our community including assisting over 1,000 people apply for and receive down payment assistance, first month’s rent and deposit assistance, and emergency home funding.

Stephanie Alley is the Resident Services Coordinator, specializing in welcoming new residents, evaluating needs, and helping them achieve their personal goals. She and her team provide a wide variety of classes and services to the N2N residents including a youth entrepreneur program that teaches N2N children that they have earning potential and can break the cycle of poverty. Children create art which is turned into greeting cards that are sold at gift shops in Fort Collins. The proceeds go directly into the children’s own bank account to help them learn the ins and outs of business.

Alley visits the Food Bank for Larimer County every morning to pick up snacks, juice boxes, fruit, and whatever else is available. She takes the food back to her office at Neighbor to Neighbor where residents live in a 68 unit complex. She hands the food and snacks out to the kids as they leave for school. Often families living at the N2N complex do not have enough extra food to send their kids to school with something for snack time; they already rely on the free and reduced food programs and without N2N and the Food Bank’s partnership, these children likely spend a good part of the day hungry.

When asked what her favorite part of the job is, Alley replied, “The kiddos. I love the kids, they are great humans. I just love seeing what they already hope to be in the future. They don’t see themselves as low income; they have the same hopes and dreams as all the other kids do. They are so inspirational and I love that I get to work with them.”

The Food Bank and N2N’s partnership came full circle this summer when Neighbor to Neighbor participated in the Plant it Forward program by growing extra produce in the N2N community garden to donate back the Food Bank. Alley commented on the program by saying, “it’s a good way for us to give back because our clients use the Food Bank and I get snacks for the kids, so the food comes back around.”

By working with and partnering with other great area organizations such as Neighbor to Neighbor, we are better able to address the many needs of our friends and neighbors in our community.